Strength

Football 2008 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Leadership and playmaking ability at the quarterback position, 11 returning starters on the league's No. 2 defense and a very sound kicking game.

Weakness

While quarterback Jeff Garcia made the Pro Bowl last season, the passing game produced 18 TDs, including just eight from wide receivers. Joey Galloway, who will turn 37 this season, caught six of those.

Obstacles

Under Jon Gruden, the Bucs have failed to put back-to-back winning seasons together. The two previous NFC South Division titles have been followed by losing seasons.

Intangibles

Garcia hasn't put a 16-game season together since 2002. Last year, he couldn't finish the season opener but returned the next week. He even got hurt in training camp during a noncontact drill. The Bucs think they've covered themselves with a quality backup in Brian Griese, but it would be nice -- and unusual -- if the Bucs avoided another quarterback roller-coaster ride.

Coaching

His track record in Tampa Bay makes it clear that Gruden is not an offensive genius, but he's still one of six active coaches to win a Super Bowl. He can be brilliant on Sundays; stubborn, too. But he has won three of the six NFC South titles since 2002.